EDITOR’S COMMENT Jack Cheeseman
November 2024
ertonline.co.uk
Time to branch out! S
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o that’s nearly it for another year. Halloween and Bonfire Night are out the way so now the countdown to Christmas is really on! High streets will become busier than ever as consumers rush around the shops, and competition will be fierce so retailers really have to pull out all the stops to make sure that every sale counts. Needless to say, this is a vital time for the retail sector after what’s been a turbulent year. Businesses have navigated a delicate balance of economic headwinds, digital transformation, and increasing consumer demand for sustainability. Although challenges persist, the rise of e-commerce, omnichannel strategies, and eco-conscious consumption are shaping the sector’s future.
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In response to inflation and economic uncertainty, consumers are looking for the best possible value with every purchase they make. Not only that, but resale and second-hand platforms are flourishing, as online resale site Depop reported a 24 per cent increase in users from 2023 to 2024. The trend towards online shopping remains strong as well, with figures from the Office for National Statistics showing that 83 per cent of UK consumers are now shopping online at least once a month. As a result, an omnichannel business model has become essential; retailers need to blend the benefits of in-store shopping with the convenience and speediness of online platforms. Click-and-collect services, for example, have surged, and let’s not even talk about the rise of the online delivery giants! So retailers must seek alternative ways to emphasise their benefits and the services they can offer. It has never been more important for manufacturers and retailers to work closely together to provide genuinely useful products to ensure that consumers return to spend again in the future. We talk about it all the time, but the in-store experience is the main thing that cannot be replicated elsewhere – in the chain stores or online. The knowledge and the passion of in-store staff is a crucial element of the physical shopping experience, as is the ‘try before you buy’ concept, allowing customers to experiment with a product before taking it to the till.
In response to inflation a
And what better time to eat, drink and be merry than right now! Everyone’s in a good mood in the run up to Christmas, right? So while a great deal of money will be spent in the coming weeks make sure your business is top of your customers’ shopping lists. As we hurtle towards 25 December, I’d like to take a pause and wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! Whatever you do and however you spend it, enjoy. Catch you on the other side!
Email the editor at
jackcheeseman@ertonline.co.uk What do you think ?
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